Go-devil



R. C. BAKER Jan. 14, 1941.

GO-DEVIL Filed March 18, 1940 art OW I Pic/651v C BAKE/Q, @m, a

rat-ma Jam, 1941 oo-mivn.

Reuben C. Baker, Los Angeles, Calif., minor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 18, 1940, Serial No. 324,486

- 13 Claims. (Cl. 166-1) This invention relates togo-devils, being particularly directed to that type of go-devil "which is designed to be dropped down a wire or other flexible line for thepurpose of initiating operation of an apparatus connected to the lower end of theline." I '7 There are certain devices, such as' bridge plugs, gun perforators, bailers, etc., which are lowered into a well bore or casing on theend of a wire line. Upon reaching th desiredjpoint within the casing, ago-devil is droppeddownthe line to engage the device and initiate its operation or function within the ,well, Obstructions, tight places or crooked portions of the hole or casing are often encountered,which prevent the free dropping or falling of the go-devil on the wire line into engagement with the particular tool connected therewith. It is an object of this invention toprovidea go-devil device capable of 1 falling freely along a wire line, butwhich can be moved positively past'any. obstructions or restrictions preventing or tending to prevent its descent.

This invention has other objects that will become apparent from a consideration of the embodiment shown in the drawing accompanying E and forming part of the present specification.

This form will now be described in detail, but it is to be understoodthat such detailed description is not to be taken in a limited sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the claims appended hereto. a

Referring to the drawing? w Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, taken alo the line l--| in Figure 3, of a go-devil and cooperable apparatus within a wellcasing; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the go-devil passing through an inclined casing section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section, taken along the plane H in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-section, taken along the plane 4-4 in Figure 2. I

i In the drawing, a go-devil A is shown threaded over a wire or other flexible lineB connected to an, apparatus C, as a bridge plug, gun perforator, bailer, or any other tool which has been lowered in a well casing D to the point at which a specified operation or functionis to be performed. The go-devil ordinarily can drop freely 60 along the line until it strikes the particular apparatus at the lower end thereof. However, there are some instances in which the go-devil drags against the sides of the casing as upon enjcountering a crooked or bent portion. The ex- 55 tent of this crookedness 9 might be such as to prevent further dropping of thego-devil under the influence of gravity. i v This invention employs positive instrumentalities for enabling the go-devil to be moved past toward the axis of the weight, merging into the passage l I receiving the wire line. These balls normally tend to move to a lowermost position in their confining bores into contact with the wire line Band the convergent cam surfaces l4 provided by the inclined sides of the bores l3, but they can move freely upward within their bores away from contact with the wire line. Plugs l5 are threaded in the ends of the bores to prevent loss of the balls.

So long as the weight" is dropping with respect to the wire, line, the balls l2 are urged toward the divergent and wider spaces between the line Band the opposed cam surfaces M of the bores,oflering'substantially no resistance to the free falling of the go-devil along the wire line toward the particular tool C connected to its lower end (as shown in Figure 1). In the event that the weight in is arrested or stopped by an inclined casing section or a restriction of obstruction in the casing. it can be moved positively beyond and below such resistance by elevating the wire line B with respect to the weight. This action is permitted since the balls 12 are urged by the wire line upwardly out of locking position into the wider spaces between the exterior of the line and the opposed cam surfaces of the bores. The wire line is then allowed to lower to its original extent. In so doing, it moves the ballsv line and causing its downward movement with the line as a unit (see Figure 2). The force moving the go-devil past the resisting portion of the casing will be equal to the entire weight of the line below the point of engagement with the balls and the tool C attached thereto. In practically all cases, this force or efiectlve weight will be suflicient to move the go-devil past the Obstruction or point of stoppage E in the casing. After passing the resisting region of the casing, the go-devil will automatically unlock from the wire line and continue to fall freely.

The wireline B can be raised and lowered as many times as necessary to move the go-devil A through the agency of the balls l2.

usually desirable to position the apparatus C on and coupling to it on its downward movement Since it is the end of the wire line at a specific location within the casing prior to dropping the go-devil, the line should be lowered to the same extent as it was raised, whenever it becomes necessary to free the go-devil weight, thus insuring that the 4 confining bores, the wire line B 'cannot be.

threaded through the go-devil from top to bottom, since the balls would be moved downwardly and wedged between the line and the cam surfaces H. To permit such threading action to occur with the balls assembled in the bores l3, pins l6 may be threaded through holes I! extending from the exterior of the go-devil weight into the bores, holding the balls in an upper position and preventing them from moving into the longitudinal axial passage ll of the go-devil. After the desired length of wire line has been threaded through the passage at the surface of the well bore, the screws l6 holding the balls in inoperative position may be removed, permitting them to drop to clutching relationship with respect to the wire line B and the cam surfaces It. Of course, it is to be understood that these screws need not be used at all. The wire line can be threaded through the top of the go-devil with the balls I2 out of the bores I3. After the proper length of line has passed through the go-devil, the balls can be placed in the bores and the plugs l5 then screwed into their upper ends.

It is apparent that by the present invention a positive means has been devised for insuring that the go-devil will reach the apparatus at the end of the wire line for the purpose of initiating its operation. While a ball type of one-way clutch device has been disclosed as a specific example of the invention, it is to be understood that various other types of one-way clutches can be employed,

as those embodying rollers, dogs, blocks, springs, friction bands or other gripping devices.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a weight adapted to slide along said wire or flexible line, and oneway clutch means for coupling said weight to said line upon their movement with respect to each other in one direction, and for freeing said weight from said line upon their movement with respect to each other in another direction 2. An apparatus of the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a weight having a longitudinal passage to receive said wire or flex- 3. An apparatus of the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a weight having a longitudinal passage for receivingsaid wire or flexible line, and friction elementsfor coupling said weight to said line upon movement of the latter through the weight in one direction only.

-i. An apparatus of the character described, in-

cluding a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire or flexible line, and clutch elements carried .by'said weight and adaptedto extend into said passage for gripping said line and coupling it to said weight.

' 5. An apparatus of the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having a longitudinal passage for receiving said ,wire or flexible line, and one-way clutch means carried by said weight and adapted to extend into said passage.

6. an apparatus. of the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having-a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire or flexible line, and one-way clutch means comprisin rolling elements carried by said weight and adapted to extend into said passage.

,7. An apparatus of. the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire or flexible line, .a cam on said weight, and a one-way clutch element engageable with said cam and with said wire or flexible line.

Y 8 An apparatus of the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire' or flexible line, said weight having a cam surface converging, downwardly toward said passage, and a one-w'ayclutch element engageable with said 'cam and extending into said passage.

' 9. An apparatus of the character described, in cluding a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire or flexible line and one or more bores inbores adapted to extend into said passage.

10. An apparatus pf the character described,

including a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire or flexible line and a plurality of spaced bores inclined downwardly toward said passage and merging thereinto, and a ball in each bore adapted to extend into said passage.

11. An apparatus of the character described, including a wire or flexible line, a go-devil weight having a central passage for receiving said wire r." flexible line and a plurality of spaced bores inclined downwardly from the top of said weight and merging into said passage, a ball in each bore adapted to extend into said passage, and means for closing the tops of said bores.

12. An apparatus of the character described,

.a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire or flexible line, one-way clutch means for coupling said weight to said line upon downward movement of the latter through said weight, said line being free to move upwardly through said weight, and means for holding said one-way clutch means in inoperative position. ,1

13. An apparatus of the character described,

including a wire orflexible line, a go-devil weight having a longitudinal passage for receiving said wire or flexible ,line and one or more bores inclined downwardly toward said passage and merging thereinto, rolling elements in said bores adapted to extend into said passage, and means adapted to extend into said bores to prevent clutching engagement of said rolling elements with said wire or flexible line.

. REUBEN C. BAKER. 

